Nasal CPAP treatment of Sleep Disordered Breathing (SDB), for example as taught by Sullivan in U.S. Pat. No. 4,944,310 has become the standard. However, other techniques are known. Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) is a surgical procedure for the treatment of severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). In UPPP, soft tissue on the back of the throat and soft palate (the uvula) is removed. Oral Mandibular Advancement Devices are dental appliances used to treat patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) and Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome (UARS). They look similar to mouth guards used in sports. Other techniques involve electrical stimulation.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,636,767 describes how an electrode is placed in stimulating contact with an airway passage-controlling muscle of the patient. The electrode is energized to contract the muscle and alter the airway passage.
However some researchers have noted (Guilleminault et al. Chest 1995 107:67-73) that “The results obtained by us and others do not, at this time, give convincing support for the use of electrical stimulation using submental surface or intraoral electrodes as a viable approach for effective control of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome symptoms.”
It is known that central apnea and obstructive apnea can be discriminated by flow and effort sensors. See for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,675,797; 6,029,665; and 6,445,942.
It is an object of the invention to provide improved detection and treatment of respiratory disorders using implanted devices.